Saddlers Hoping To Defeat Cup Specialists

We take a break from league action tomorrow evening as we face Tranmere Rovers in the first round of the Carabao Cup under the floodlights of Prenton Park.

Don’t forget that if scores are level after ninety minutes then it will go straight to a penalty shootout – no extra time.

TEAM NEWS

Walsall

You would expect that manager Dean Keates will rest a few of his first teamers for the trip to Tranmere.

We might see starts for new boys Kane Wilson and Josh Gordon as well as starts for players from last season who have yet to taste first team football i.e Keiron Morris and Maz Kouhyar.

Long term absentees Joe Edwards (ACL) and Kory Roberts (broken leg) are missing until 2019.

Tranmere

Tranmere have no fresh injury worries ahead of tonight’s clash.

LIKELY LINE UPS?

Keates has hinted that he will make just one or two changes for tonight’s game. So with that in mind we have plumped for Kinsella and Gordon to be given a run out tonight.

Walsall – Roberts, Devlin, Guthrie, Fitzwater, Leahy, Ismail, Kinsella, Osbourne, Ginnelly, Gordon, Cook

Tranmere – Davies, Caprice, McNulty, Sutton, Bakayogo, Smith, Harris, Banks, Jennings, Norwood, Stockton

DANGERMEN

Andy Cook (Walsall)

Cook is no stranger to Prenton Park having left Tranmere to join the Saddlers this summer.

Cook finished both seasons as top goalscorer for Tranmere and will be looking to add to his goal tally already this season against his former club.

James Norwood (Tranmere)

Norwood was briefly linked to join Andy Cook at the Saddlers however the striker stayed at Tranmere and has already started the season with a bang – scoring three goals in his first two games as Tranmere begin life again as a Football League club.

Norwood has scored fifty six goals in one hundred and ten appearances for Tranmere.

PAST MEETINGS

The Saddlers have faced Tranmere on seventy two occasions – Walsall 32, Draw 15, Tranmere 25

Both sides haven’t me for four years since our 2-2 JPT Trophy clash at Prenton Park where the Saddlers won on penalties. The last time both sides met in the league came in 2014 where the sides drew 1-1 with Milan Lalkovic scoring for the Saddlers.

Our last five away games v Tranmere

9th December 2014 – Tranmere 2-2 Walsall (Walsall win 5-4 on penalties)

11th January 2014 – Tranmere 1-1 Walsall

20th November 2012 – Tranmere 0-0 Walsall

22nd October 2011 – Tranmere 2-1 Walsall

8th January 2011 – Tranmere 3-3 Walsall

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee – MICHAEL SALISBURY
Linesmen – Mark Griffiths and David Benton
Fourth Official : Wade Smith

Last season Salisbury officiated thirty-one games, dishing out one hundred and seven yellow cards, nine reds and awarding nine penalties.

Salisbury officiated one game involving the Saddlers last season – he officiated our 2-1 EFL Trophy defeat to Bury.

He has officiated four games involving the Saddlers – we have lost three and drew 1-1.

CUP PEDIGREE

Tranmere are cup specialists. Prenton Park has had some amazing cup games under the floodlights and despite their drop out of the Football League you would imagine they will want to try and rekindle their love for the League Cup. Tranmere made the League Cup Final in 2000 losing to Leicester 2-1 in the final. The Saddlers on the other hand have had little to shout about in cup competitions since our trip to Wembley in the JPT Trophy. We have got knocked out in Round 1 of the League Cup in eight of the last twelve seasons.